Lao morning news for December 18

Six Mekong countries agree to deepen cooperation
The foreign ministers of the six Mekong countries met here yesterday to deepen cooperation and discuss the latest developments and implementation of previous meeting outcomes at the 4th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
— Vientiane Times

ADB Helps Improve Living Standards Of Local Communities
ADB has provided a financial grant to help improve the living standards in Ban Yor, Beng district, Oudomxay Province through facilitating their access to vocational training and stable jobs.
— KPL

22kg of ivory seized from passenger on bus from Laos
Officials have seized 930 items of ivory from a Vietnamese woman attempting to bring them into the country from Laos.
— Bangkok Post

Miss Laos wins National Costume
Miss Laos On-anong Homsombath won the National Costume at the Miss Universe 2018 for her elaborate design inspired by the Kinnaree – half-bird, half-women.
— The Nation

A statement on the preparations for the anniversary of the establishment of the Lao People’s Army for 70 years
On 14 December the club large political army Ministry of Defense, the advertising training center and the Ministry of Defense held a press conference on preparations to celebrate the establishment of the People’s anniversary 70 years (20/1 / 1949-20 / 1/2019.
— Pasaxon

LMC countries to deepen cooperation for inclusive development
Senior officials from China, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam agreed here Monday to deepen cooperation under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) to achieve inclusive and sustainable development in the sub-region.
— Xinhua

Night of Indonesian culture attracts Laos youth
A cultural night was held by the Indonesian Embassy in Vientiane on Dec. 7, as the archipelago seeks to promote its breathtaking destinations to the youth of Laos.
— The Jakarta Post

Lao Ambassador Presents Credentials To Thai King
Lao Ambassador to Thailand Seng Soukhathivong on Dec 7 presented his credentials to Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun to serve his three-year tenure in Thailand.
— KPL

Defence Minister promoted to General
Defence Minister Lieutenant General Chansamone Chanyalath has had his title upgraded to that of General, bringing the number of generals in the country to three.
— Vientiane Times

The construction of the 5th and 6th bridges between Thailand and Laos start in the middle of 2019
Mr. Akkam Pipawatthai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Thailand. The statement confirmed that the Government of Laos and Thailand had officially agreed to
cooperate.
— VOA Lao

The Prime Minister welcomed the visit of Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China
On December 16, the Office of the Prime Minister, General Affairs Sisulit Prime Minister of Laos received courtesy of the Hope chair Consultants State Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and the opportunity to travel to visit the Lao official and conference minister of foreign cooperation on the Mekong – the river Lan Xang No. 4, PDR honored to host the meeting this time.
— Pasaxon

In Laos, Spend the Night in the World’s Tallest Treehouses
As the sun begins to break through the darkness in Laos’ Nam Kan National Park, the cries of wild, black-crested gibbons echo through the jungle air.
— Fox40

Forty-two injured in explosion in northern Japan’s Sapporo
Forty-two people were injured when wooden buildings housing a Japanese-style pub, a real estate agency and a clinic collapsed following a suspected gas explosion Sunday night in Sapporo, northern Japan, local authorities said.
— Vientiane Times

LAOS – CHINA DISCUSS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A GRANT PROGRAM
Mrs. Khemmani Pholsena, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Chairman of the Lao-Chinese Cooperation Committee welcomed the meeting of Deng Boqing, Deputy Head The China International Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), along with the mission on December 10, 2018, is in the ministry on the occasion of visiting and working. He is from 9-12 December.
— Vientiane Mai

Feature photo UN Women Asia and the Pacific

This week’s Lao morning news feature photo acknowledges International Migrants Day, December 18.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Lao morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Lao PDR news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.